Guide · 1 minute
How to Cut a Cigar
Take off too little and it will not draw. Take off too much and it comes apart in your mouth. The difference is about two millimeters.
By CigarMind Editorial · Updated
The short answer
To cut a cigar, find the cap line, the faint seam where the round cap meets the body, and cut just above it: about 1/16 inch (2 mm) from the end. Use one quick, firm snip with a sharp double-blade cutter, then draw air through the unlit cigar to check it opens freely.
Step by step
You will need: Double-blade guillotine cutter, V-cutter, punch or cigar scissors. Time: 1 minute.
Find the cap line
The head is the closed, rounded end you put in your mouth. It is finished with a cap: a small disc of wrapper glued over the tip. Look for the cap line, the thin seam (sometimes two or three) where the cap meets the body. You cut above it, never below it.
Pick the cut for your cigar
A straight cut suits almost every cigar. A V-cut suits thicker cigars and gives a focused draw. A punch suits thick cigars with a sturdy, flat cap. A torpedo or belicoso gets its point snipped. The cut chooser below picks for your shape.
Line up the blade
Rest the head in the cutter so the blade sits just above the cap line, about 1/16 inch (2 mm) from the tip. Hold the cigar steady with your other hand and keep it level so the cut is square.
Cut in one quick motion
Squeeze firmly and fast. A slow squeeze crushes the head and tears the wrapper; a quick one shears it clean. Keep some of the cap on the cigar: that glued ring is what holds the wrapper in place.
Take a cold draw
Before you light it, draw air through the unlit cigar. It should pull with a light, even resistance. If it is tight, shave off another sliver, a little at a time. Never go below the cap line to fix a draw.
Pick the shape and thickness
Which cut for your cigar?
Your cut
Straight cut
The most versatile cut: it opens the whole head for a full, easy draw at 50 ring gauge. One quick snip about 2 mm from the tip, above the cap line.
Where exactly do you cut a cigar?
You cut the head, the closed end, just above the cap line: about 1/16 inch (2 mm) from the tip. The foot, the open end you light, is never cut. The cap line marks the edge of the glued cap; cut below it and nothing is left holding the wrapper on.
On most cigars the cap line sits where the rounded shoulder of the head starts to curve in. If you cannot see a seam, cut where the curve begins, and take less rather than more. You can always take another sliver.
Straight cut, V-cut or punch: which is best?
A straight cut with a double-blade guillotine is the most versatile and the one to learn first: it opens the whole head and suits nearly every size. A V-cut and a punch open less of the head and concentrate the smoke; they work best on thicker cigars and are a matter of taste, not a rule.
| Cut | Best for | Draw | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight (guillotine) | Almost every cigar, every ring gauge | Open and full | Cutting below the cap line on a thin cigar |
| V-cut | Thicker cigars, rounded caps | Focused, a little firmer | Cheap V-cutters tear the cap |
| Punch | Thick cigars (about 50 ring and up) with a flat, sturdy cap | Tightest of the three | Tar builds up in a small hole late in the smoke |
| Snipped tip | Torpedos, belicosos, pointed figurados | Adjustable: cut higher up the taper to open it | Taking too much of the point at once |
How do you cut a torpedo or belicoso?
Snip the point straight across with a guillotine, starting small, a few millimeters down the taper. The further down the taper you cut, the wider the opening and the easier the draw, so start high and cut again only if the draw is tight. A punch cannot seat on a pointed head; use a guillotine or scissors.
What should you cut a cigar with?
A sharp double-blade guillotine is the best all-round cutter: the two blades meet in the middle, so the wrapper is sliced from both sides at once and tears less than with a single blade. Cigar scissors give the most control on large or oddly shaped cigars. A V-cutter and a punch are good second tools.
Skip piercing lances, which tend to make a narrow tunnel that runs hot, and do not bite the cap off: teeth crush the head and leave a ragged edge. A blunt blade of any kind tears the wrapper.
- Keep blades sharp and clean; tobacco resin dulls them over time.
- A cheap cutter that crushes is worse than none: it ruins the cigar you bought.
- Travel tip: a punch on a keyring means you always have a cutter.
Common mistakes, and the fix
Cutting below the cap line
The wrapper starts to peel and unravel. Press it back down with a barely moistened fingertip and smoke it a little slower; next time, cut higher and less.
Squeezing the cutter slowly
A slow cut crushes and tears. Line up first, then close the cutter in one quick, confident snap.
Taking too little off
A draw like sucking through a coffee stirrer. Shave another sliver, a millimeter at a time, and check with a cold draw after each one.
Punching a thin cigar
On a small ring gauge the punch hole is too small and runs hot. Use a straight cut on anything under about 46 ring gauge.
Cutting the foot
The foot is already open and is the end you light. Only the head gets cut.
Questions
How much of a cigar should you cut off?
About 1/16 inch, or 2 millimeters, from the tip of the head: just enough to open the cap without cutting below the cap line. On a torpedo, start a few millimeters down the point. If the draw is tight after a cold draw, take another sliver rather than a big second cut.
Which end of a cigar do you cut?
The head: the closed, rounded end with the cap, which goes in your mouth. The foot, the open end where you can see the filler leaves, is the end you light and is never cut. A perfecto has a closed foot too, but you light it as it is; the flame opens it.
What is the best way to cut a cigar?
For most smokers, a straight cut with a sharp double-blade guillotine, one quick snip just above the cap line. It opens the whole head and suits almost every size. V-cuts and punches are good on thicker cigars if you prefer a more focused, firmer draw.
Can you cut a cigar with scissors or a knife?
Cigar scissors are made for it and give fine control, especially on large figurados. Household scissors and kitchen knives usually crush or tear the head. In a pinch, a very sharp knife pressed straight down while rolling the cigar can work, but a proper cutter is worth the few dollars.
What happens if you cut a cigar too short?
Cut below the cap line and the wrapper loses the glued cap that holds it, so it peels and unravels as you smoke. Press the loose wrapper back with a slightly moistened fingertip, smoke a little slower, and cut higher next time.
Should you cut a cigar before or after lighting it?
Before. Cutting first lets you take a cold draw to check the airflow and taste the unlit tobacco, and it means the first puffs after lighting draw properly instead of pulling hard against a closed cap.
Next guide
How to Light a Cigar
A cigar is not lit like a cigarette. It is toasted, slowly, with the flame never touching the leaf. Get the first minute right and the next hour takes care of itself.
Keep going
Sources
- Cigar Aficionado: Cutting and Lighting
- Wikipedia: Cigar cutter
- La Aurora: How to cut a cigar